2011 Season             Edition No. 14           July 20, 2011

Hello Fellow HSL Brethren;  I am penning this version of “The Bullpen” today in order to faithfully fulfill my duty and obligation to the League to complete my required post, as requested by the Skipper with ample warning , before embarking on a trip to Norway and the land of the fjords!  While I do anticipate that they will have internet connections, I do not want to be accused of shirking my responsibility to the League by blaming it on a Viking Ranger that won’t let me use his internet connection.  If the Skipper says do it, I do it damnit!

I hope you don’t find this as boring as the 2011 All-Star Game (although that is understandable when you put a boring accountant-type at the keyboard) but does anyone else feel the same way?  I saw that it enjoyed the lowest TV rankings in our recent history, but what do you expect when the most exciting play is the “Shamu Slide” performed by Heath Bell as he entered the game by sprinting to the mound and “taking a knee”!  Since Heath is on my team, I had my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t hurt something with his dramatic entrance.  And then in his first appearance on Thursday against the Giants, what does he do . . . he gets a blown save on a 0-2 pitch to Huff who sends it bye-bye over the wall.  I blame it on the “Shamu Slide”! 

Since this week was the so-called halfway point in the season, I made a couple of lists of the Biggest Surprises and the Biggest Busts so far:

The leading surprises are an interesting bunch, with Alex Gordon and Lance Berkman, leading the discussion.  Both of them in final year mode, Alex must produce or he will be back in Omaha and Lance is at the end of a long career.  Why didn’t Lance hit like that last year for the Yankees?  A couple of notable candidates that were drafted by one team, cut by the original team, and picked up off the waiver wire include Carlo Pena (Bombers/Cubs) 271.60 points, Danny Espinosa (Wahoos/Redbirds) 321.2 points, and Russell Martin (Da’Bums/Senators) 179.90 points.  Interesting that the Cubs have three selections, four if you count Pena, and the Chiefs have two selections and they are both battling for the title.  I thought about including Todd Helton as a surprise this year, but my conscience wouldn’t allow me to include a steroid user!

The Busts represent a combination of injuries, poor drafting by management, and sheer bad luck.  As the proud owner of Dunn and Uggla (almost typed dumb and dumber), what’s a guy to do?  All the mag’s told me they would have breakout years on their new teams.  I didn’t realize they meant breaking out a new swing that has no resemblance to their career abilities!  Interesting thing here is the Senators have three selections and the Tigers have two selections and they are both battling for the lower finish.

On a brighter note, it was nice to see Jeter get his 3000 hit and to see the response by the fan who caught the ball.  Both class acts!  Even though I may be a bit biased, you have to agree that Jeter is a good guy and represents Baseball for all the right things.  Is there anyone of you that wouldn’t trade places with him or welcome him as your son-in-law?

Mouse’s Minute:   Due to my aforementioned trip, I would like to suggest to the League that we have a two -week moratorium, or at least until the Debt Limit debacle is handled, on roster transactions.  That way everybody can stop watching their team every morning at 4:30 a.m. and just chill for a couple of weeks.  Let the chips fall where they may, so to speak.  Can we get a vote on that?  I didn’t really need Carlos Pena’s 20 Hr’s or 271.60 points!  Next year I truly listen to Stretch.  Look out below, because here I come.

Lykke til,

Mouse